ST LOUIS, Missouri, CMC – World-rated Guyanese Nicolette Fernandes was knocked out in the first round of the Racquet Club International Squash tournament on Thursday, beaten by the fourth seed Miranda Ranieri, of Canada.
On the comeback trail after a career-threatening knee problem, Fernandes was competitive against Ranieri before going down two games to three in the US$6,000 event.
Ranieri, ranked 78th in the world, will face American Olivia Blanchard in the quarter-finals.
Fernandes, who returned to the Women’s International Squash Players Association (WISPA) circuit last month after a near two-year absence, had beaten Colombian Catalina Pelaez in qualifying to get into the main draw.
Fernandes came from two games down to defeat Pelaez 3-2.
Since her return to the pro circuit, Fernandes has reached the semi-finals of the Eindhoven Open and the final of the Swiss Open in Europe, resulting in a huge jump from 215th to 113th in the WISPA world rankings.
Fernandes had plunged – because of her inactivity – below the 200-mark a year ago from a career-high No.27 in the world rankings in May 2007.
She is slated to compete next at the Cayman Open in the Caribbean early next month.
In other Racquet Club International first-round results, American Latasha Khan, currently rated 33rd on the WISPA list, beat Ecuador’s Belkys Magaly Velez 3-0 and Georgina Stoker, the No.2 seed from England, ousted Argentina’s Fernanda Rocha 3-1.
